States ‘actively looking’ at national domestic violence register

A national register which would allow women to discover if a partner has a history of domestic violence is under consideration.

Women may soon be able to call a domestic violence register hotline to discover whether a partner has a controlling or violent past.

Following a string of horrific murders of women that has intensified protection calls, Attorney-General and Domestic Violence Prevention Minister Shannon Fentiman has confirmed that governments were “actively looking at” a register that would reveal whether a person had had domestic violence orders brought against them before.

In her strongest public comments yet, Ms Fentiman said she anticipated the Women’s Safety and Justice taskforce, headed by Justice Margaret McMurdo, would be lobbied over such a scheme and the government would look at “anything and everything” that would keep women safe.

Queensland Attorney-General Shannon Fentiman addresses a rally for domestic violence victims in Brisbane last month. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

It’s understood a scheme could take the form of a police hotline that a person could call to check details of a current partner, although the exact function of such a scheme is expected to be considered by Justice McMurdo based on expert submissions.

“It is something we’re looking at, it is something that’s been discussed by women’s safety ministers at a national level,” Ms Fentiman told a function marking Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month.

“I’m sure it’s something that will be discussed at the Women’s Safety Summit that’s happening in July and I also think it’s something we’re up for discussing as part of the national plan to reduce violence against women and children.

“The next plan is due to be released in September.

“So please know we’re actively looking at this.”

Beyond DV founder and managing director Carolyn Robinson, who supported a loved one through a violent relationship, said too many women found out too late about their partner’s violent and controlling past.

“And if perpetrators realise they are going to have details of their violent behaviour on a register, maybe they’ll be less likely to offend,” she said.

But Ms Robinson supported safeguards “to make sure that people aren’t just trying to dig up dirt”.

Angela Lynch said that her organisation supported a ­register. She said it had “become quite clear” that serial offending had become such an issue that a register was warranted, she said.

“Even for authorities they don’t have an active register where they can see that history quickly,” Ms Lynch said.

“Some of these serial offenders they’re just going under the radar because we don’t have this information.”

Ms Lynch said in a climate of “quick relationships” struck up via social media, people could create “fake identities”.

“By having some ability to check on that and verify, at least to an extent, what their history is could be valuable,” she said.

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